Teenagers watched their cartoon creations come to life during the opening day of the Animex festival on Teesside.

Pupils from four secondary schools have been working with animators Clive Tonge and John Hedley to produce short films.

The teenagers watched their work being showcased at a special screening at the Animex Teentoon event at the University of Teesside.

The pupils from Bishopsgarth School, Stockton, Tollesby School, Middlesbrough, English Martyrs School, Hartlepool, and Haughton School in Darlington, have been working on their animations for several months.

Curtis Jobling, the man who designed Bob the Builder, gave the pupils a talk on how he became an animator.

Mr Jobling, from Thirsk, studied at Cleveland College of Art and Design in Middlesbrough.

The pupils were then treated to a special screening of Disney's Treasure Planet.

Wendy Sanderson, Animex project co-ordinator, said: "The animations were all different and the audience thought it was marvellous.

"The young people were laughing as they saw themselves on the screen and they responded really well.

"Curtis Jobling talked about what he did to get into animation and told the young people they could achieve the level he'd achieved."

The University of Teesside's Animex Festival is running in Middlesbrough until Friday.